1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a toolbox assembly and more particularly to a toolbox assembly which is both aesthetically pleasing, which is sturdy, which is able to be easily locked, and which is highly functional and which allows items to be efficiently stored and accessed.
2. Background of the Invention
Toolbox assemblies are used to selectively store tools, such as automotive repair type tools, and other materials. While these assemblies do allow such tools and other materials to be stored and selectively retrieved, they suffer from several drawbacks.
By way of example and without limitation, many of these toolbox assemblies are not aesthetically pleasing and are not very sturdy. For example, many of these toolbox assemblies have unsightly weld type connections formed on several or all of the surfaces of the body and such connections undesirably disrupt the overall appearance of the assembly, and many of these toolbox assemblies bend or bow over time, due to the weight associated with the stored items and the fact that they are not structurally sturdy, and many of these toolbox assemblies even break.
Further, by way of example and without limitation, many of these toolbox assemblies are very difficult to lock or unlock, requiring a relatively large amount of strength to move the locking mechanism to the desired locked or unlocked position and these toolbox assemblies don't even allow the assembly to be locked unless all of the drawers are in a predetermined closed position. Thus, one cannot lock the toolbox assembly with one of the drawers in an open and utilized position.
This is a particular significant drawback because oftentimes the user of the toolbox assembly, after performing much work with the stored tools, forgets to lock the assembly, thereby making the contained tools available for theft. It would be highly beneficial if, before the work was begun, several drawers were opened (e.g., those containing the necessary tools) and the assembly locked. After the work was completed, the drawers, in this highly beneficial scenario, would simply be closed and automatically be placed in a locked position with the unopened and previously locked drawers. Unfortunately, this utility does not exist with current prior toolbox assemblies.
Further, these prior and current toolbox assemblies do not allow desired casters to be utilized (e.g., larger or more sturdy casters for particularly heavy toolbox assemblies and lighter casters for lighter toolbox assemblies), thereby increasing the probability of breakage (i.e., if lighter type casters were only used and the contained tools were particularly heavy and/or the toolbox assembly was utilized in a particularly harsh environment, such as that in which a large amount of vibration or movement occurred) and undesirably increasing the cost if relatively expensive casters were used in a situation in which they were not needed (i.e., where the toolbox assembly is not relatively heavy and the environment is not really harsh). Further, these prior and current toolbox assemblies do not readily allow additional casters to be deployed if the need arises and in order to increase the sturdiness or ruggedness of the utilized toolbox assembly.
Yet further, these prior and current toolbox assemblies do not allow drawers to be readily interchangeable in order to accommodate different storage strategies or techniques of the various users of these toolbox assemblies and do not allow for differently shaped items to be readily stored within these assemblies.
The present inventions overcomes these and other drawbacks associated with current and prior toolbox assemblies in a new and useful manner.